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Yet Another Potential 2026 NFL Draft QB Returns to School
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- Yet Another Potential 2026 NFL Draft QB Returns to School
John Mateer, Oklahoma Athletics
Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer is the latest player to withdraw his name from the 2026 NFL Draft class, as Oklahoma announced that Mateer is returning to school for the 2026 season.
Mateer had been considered a late day two or early day three prospect if he had come out in what is a rapidly thinning quarterback class this season. Instead, he will return to school to attempt to battle it out in what looks like a loaded 2027 class.
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Mateer saw his draft stock fall from a high of the middle of the first round by the middle of the season, likely a result of an injury to his throwing hand. Mateer suffered the injury on Sept. 20 and missed just one game before returning, despite having surgery.
In the four games before the injury, he completed 67.4% of his passes and threw six touchdowns compared to three interceptions and had a 149.5 passer rating. In eight games after the injury, he completed 59.4% of his passes, had eight touchdowns, interceptions and a 118.2 passer rating.
Mateer redshirted in his freshman season at Washington State and appeared in 12 games as a backup in 2023. He had his first full season as a starter for the Cougars in 2024, throwing for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns to put himself on the map for the 2026 NFL Draft as he transferred to Oklahoma.
John Mateer, Oklahoma Athletics
But he finished his redshirt junior year with just 2,885 yards and 14 touchdowns, and now he'll return for his final season of collegiate eligibility.
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Mateer is the latest in a string of players to make the same decision, joining Oregon's Dante Moore , Texas' Arch Manning , South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers and former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby to all decide to return to college.
That has left the 2026 NFL Draft class extraordinarily thin, with consensus No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza followed by only one other current projected first-round pick — Alabama's Ty Simpson , who is currently No. 20 on the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus big board.
Garrett Nussmeier , Cade Klubnik , Carson Beck , Drew Allar and Taylen Green are all considered day two selection, as is Trinidad Chambliss , if he eventually declares for the draft. Chambliss is suing to reverse and NCAA decision that refused to grant him a waive to play a sixth season of college football in 2026.
That's left quarterback-needy teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers in a lurch as the 2026 NFL Draft cycle kicks into high gear with college all-star games taking place later this month.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Yet Another Potential 2026 NFL Draft QB Returns to School
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